"She was on for an hour this morning and in the end I had to
tell her to stop talking.

"She is just a very thoughtful girl and family has always come
first - ahead of fame and all that goes with it."

Nadine never made a big impression at school despite her musical
ability.

Niall said: "She just wasn't interested to be honest.

"I remember being worried when it got close to her GCSEs last
year because she had done absolutely no revision.

"Even when school gave her a week off to study she spent it in
a studio recording a demo CD. That's where her heart was.

"But in typical Nadine fashion when her results came in she
had pulled it off again.

"She jumped up on bed and read out her results and it was was,
'A,B,B,B,A'.

"Her mum couldn't believe it. She actually rang the
school to make sure there wasn't a mistake as her results were so
good.

"I think Nadine has always had the knack of pulling it off
when it counts." Fame and fortune have not changed Nadine and the
promises of big money from tours, album sales and No1 singles are not
the most important things to her.

Niall explained: "Money is honestly not an issue in
Nadine's life at all.

"I have seen her get money for her birthday and then a couple
of months later you will find it lying in the bottom of her wardrobe because she forgot all about it.

"There are plenty of times when she doesn't have any
credit for her mobile phone but she would never think of mentioning it.

"She just makes do with what she has and never complains.

"At the minute she is only getting pounds 300 a week to appear
on the show, which doesn't go that far in London. But she is so
generous that she is even treating myself and Lillian to our hotel this
weekend when we come over to watch her."

Ten of Nadine's closest friends and family members will be
there to watch her perform live on the show which is broadcast at 6.55pm
on UTV.

Among them are her two sisters, Charmain, 25 and Rachel, 15.

Nadine still regards Derry as her home and has no plans to move -
even though she will be working with record companies in England.

Lillian added: "Nadine is dying to see everyone again but
there's no guarantee she will be home soon.

"If she gets voted off the show on Saturday then she's
coming home on Wednesday for a huge party.

"But if she survives and makes it into the final group she
won't be back until Christmas Eve."

And Niall recalled: "The other week I asked her when she was
going home to the Popstars house and she nearly bit my head off.

"She was furious that I had called London her
'home'. She said, 'This is not my home, Derry will always
be my home'.

"If she makes it into the band then she will have to be based
in London, but that's one of the sacrifices you have to make."

Nadine and her parents have had to pay one big price for fame - the
constant media intrusion.

Niall continued: "That bit can get very hard sometimes when
the papers make up lies about Nadine.

"There have been a few stories over the past couple of weeks
that are completely untrue and it makes you angry. But at the same time
we have to get used to it."

Nadine's lowest moment came two weeks ago when she found a
lump under her arm and feared it was cancer.

She spent most of the run-up to the live show that weekend with
doctors.

Lillian said: "We were all very scared and then minutes before
the show went on air she really broke down.

"The doctor had to give her a tablet to get her through the
performance but thankfully she did OK."

No matter what happens on Saturday Nadine's mum and dad
insisted she is already a winner. Niall added: "Only yesterday
Derry's Lord Mayor called and invited her to a champagne reception.

"Everyone has been bombarding us with good wishes and saying
how proud they are of Nadine.

"The truth is we honestly don't know if she is going to
make it into the final line-up and we are taking nothing for granted.

"But if everyone can get behind her - especially Mirror
readers - then she stands a great chance."

CAPTION(S):

IT'S MY PARTY: Blowing out candles on her fifth birthday; SEX
BOMB: Nadine drives the boys wild with her looks; BABY LOVE: A few days
old; PROUD: Parents Lillian and Niall; PRETTY IN PINK: At just two
Nadine was showing she had a great voice

COPYRIGHT 2002 MGN LTD
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